Rogue Taxidermy

by Marlow Harris

Pacific Galleries had an auction of traditional taxidermy and sideshow items such as a giant skull gaff, which is a man-made object made for a freekshow, meant to imitate a mysterious find from the natural world.

* Note: Washington State ID is required to purchase some of these items, and they must not cross state lines after purchase!

Taxidermy: “Spot”, a two-headed calf which lived for six weeks on a farm in Auburn, WA in the 1930’s:

Gary Syers’ Mystery Wonder Show was auctioned off at Pacific Galleries in Seattle, where the two-headed calf, Goliath’s skull and Peruvian Wolf Boy sat before a mystified crowd.

Sideshow Item from Gary’s collection: Counterfeit Shrunken Head in case, under a glass dome, made from monkey skin.

Rogue Taxidermy from Syers collection: Whimsy the “Great Horned Swamp Ape”, a man-made example using party of different animals to construct a mythical character. Looks like it’s made out of deer butt.